La Malédiction : L'Origine

Unsettling is the perfect word to describe The First Omen. This prequel to the 1971 classic maintains the atmosphere and dread of the original while adding a few of its own twists and turns to the lore for better or worse.

Exploring the dark forces behind Damien's birth is one of the best parts of the First Omen. The tension that builds up to the final act is equally as compelling. Thankfully there were only a few cheap jump scares with the film opting for more disturbing imagery. There were many scenes where you knew something was going to happen but all you could do was either watch it play out or turn away. If you do decide to stick with it you will find the graphic moments satisfyingly disturbing. The First Omen does not disappoint when it comes to fully utilizing its R-rating.

One of the worst aspects of the film is the narrative. Hauntings kind of just happen for no particular reasons and some of the changes to the lore in The Omen don't quite jive not just with the original but within the context of The First Omen itself. All of the actors did an amazing job in their respective roles but a majority of the supporting characters needed more development. Nell Tiger Free's Margaret stood out as the leading protagonist while her friend and ally priest left me wanting to know more about them.

For me, the pros outweigh the cons but the lacking story is worth considering if you are on the fence about seeing The First Omen in theaters.

Between The First Omen and the Sydney Sweeney vehicle Immaculate, 2024 is the lucky year for anyone who happens to really dig neo-nunsploitation horror films that partly function as a commentary on anti-choice dystopia and religious subjugation. Aficionados of all things spooky are inclined to pit the two films against each other as "rivaling pictures", à la Deep Impact vs. Armageddon (in 1998) or Drive-Away Dolls vs. Love Lies Bleeding (also this year), but I think it's better to view occasions like this as a double treat.

I will say this, though: Despite my adoration of Sweeney's performance (mainly near the film's finale), I hold that The First Omen is the superior movie, not only because it leans harder into both the nunsploitation campiness and the psychological Rosemary's Baby-esque side, but because it is more consistently disturbing -- beautifully so. I also think the themes are delivered with more tact and confidence but it's really no surprise that both films are being celebrated as "necessary" post-Roe v. Wade masterworks (though Immaculate deserves extra cred for upsetting more Christian conservatives, namely in how it "took" Sweeney from them).

The First Omen, if you hadn't figured, is a prequel to Richard Donner's Omen from 1976. I haven't seen that movie myself and as sacrilege as this confession may sound, I actively chose to see this movie first to see if it works by itself and makes sense to an outsider. And apart from a vaguely "Member Berry"-ish namedrop at the end (and whatever other references I surely missed), I believe The First Omen stands more than fine on its own.

From the moment it starts, its cinematography, staging, and editing are worthy of the classics -- encapsulating the beauty of '70s cinema in just a few minutes, to paraphrase a commenter -- and this is only the beginning of the film's thoughtful homages. To be clear, these aren't just facile invocations; they all work. There is a scene later that recalls the iconic breakdown sequence from Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981), but it's "expanded" upon in ways I shan't unveil here.

Right after that prologue -- that shot of stain-glass window shattering in slow-motion -- the film takes on an ominous energy that never lets up, even during ostensible moments of levity. There are several other striking images and inspired bits of cinematography throughout the film, like when the main character awakens from a drunken stupor in a medium closeup shot that shows her hair laid out like a spider's web holding her head in place. Note that the shot immediately preceding it is of a spider. There are, fittingly, omens everywhere.

The acting is also pretty spectacular. Nell Tiger Free, playing an American Catholic woman sent to Rome to be confirmed as a nun, is destined for the Scream Queen Hall of Fame and Ralph Ineson's booming voice adds weight and urgency to his fearful warnings of what the Church is up to.

Mark Korven's music is no less brilliant. It, too, makes us feel as though we are truly watching a movie from the '70s, albeit with more advanced special effects that, without giving too much away, caused the film to nearly get slapped with an NC-17 rating.

What holds the movie back a little bit is that it has a few weak supporting performances and, more importantly, it fails to resist jump scares -- which I concede can work fine and leave an impact, but The First Omen has a few of the fakeout variety. Don't let this stop you, however. This is a superbly crafted, well-acted, well-lit (hallelujah), and thoroughly ghastly tale that works on one level as a statement on choice (as well as the abuses within the Catholic Church) and another as a nasty yet artful horror movie.

In a world of prequels and frenchise universes this movie has been one I didn't wait for or did expect.

Especially after the 2006 Omen remake.

The story is not full of surprises. We always heard of Damian's birth, his real mother, the jackal. Now asome creative people wrote the story and brought it to life.

What to say? It's what you expect in the year 2024. But wait. It's more. Or better said: less!

It's a modern flick but in the style of the 70s. No jump scares. Just a good horror stories told in a decent way. The first death scene was something I haven't seen in a long time. An unexpected kind of killing and dying. But even more impressive. Not the usual "He's dead Jim" bloody jump scare death. More a "what the heck!? Really?" scene which keeps you mouth wide open.

And the movie continues this style of story telling and unexpected kills and how the people die. All in time without rush.

All in all this movie is doing things right other modern franchises are missing. A good story, people with patience and creativity who gave us something familiar from the past in times we only rush threw life.

I found "The First Omen" a decent horror flick. It's definitely a slow burn, so be prepared for building suspense rather than constant jump scares. The chilling atmosphere, unsettling moments, and creepy background score really worked for me.

While the pace might be too slow for some, I appreciated the way the film gradually builds tension. It has genuine scares, fueled more by atmosphere than cheap tricks. If you enjoy a classic, atmospheric horror experience, you might like this one.

Don't go in expecting a fast-paced thrill ride. Instead, be prepared for a film that aims to unnerve you. It won't blow you away with originality, but for fans of old-school horror, "The First Omen" offers some solid chills.

How can a prequel of a classic directed by a first timer (at least when it comes to feature films) be this good???

The First Omen is a must watch for it's cinematography alone. Adding Nell Tiger Free as the incredible lead, eery body horror, spectacular sets and costumes and the feeling of 70s cinema.

It might be a tid bit too long and the whole Dan Brown-esque scavenger hunt wasn't fully working, but damn is it fun and just beautiful to watch.

Arkasha Stevenson did the original Omen justice.

I have to compare it to Immaculate since it's basically the same story, but so much better! Go watch this instead, trust me.